Henderson, 33, only moved to the Middle East last summer from Merseyside, but he already wants to play in the Premier League again. The England international is irritated by the low weekly attendance at league games and has had a hard time adjusting to the local culture and weather.

Even if that were the case, Al-Ettifaq isn’t exactly in a position to be pressured into selling Henderson cheaply because his contract keeps him with the Saudi side until the summer of 2026. However, the club will only allow the midfielder to depart if they receive a very high bid.

While Henderson has not formally requested a move, the people in charge at Al-Ettifaq are eager to cash in on his potential departure. The rest of Steven Gerrard’s squad will be based on his former Liverpool teammate, in fact.

Henderson may have thought that training with another Liverpool legend would motivate him to perform better, but that has not been the case. Al-Ettifaq is presently 28 points behind Al-Hilal for first place in the Saudi Pro League, and they are in ninth place overall.

The team has gone winless since the middle of October, leading many to wonder if Gerrard will remain manager in the long run. If the ex-Liverpool star were fired, Henderson would be even more motivated to go.

The Saudi league spends a lot of money, but Henderson is still playing to an audience of less than a thоusand. This is a drаmаtic drop from his glory days playing to the raucous Anfield crowd.

Despite Henderson’s exоrbitant weekly compensation, the tax-free component will only be activated if he fulfills the initial two years of his contract with Al-Ettifaq. He would rack up a hefty tax bill—£7 million—if he were to return to the Premier League at this pace.

The midfielder’s vehement defense of the transfer upon his arrival, which had been heavily criticized, may have surprised fans when he expressed his desire to leave Saudi Arabia so quickly.